IN CONCERT
Jethro Tull
I never get bored at a Tull concert. The music is great, the musicians always kick ass and, of course, Ian Anderson is one of the best front men in the business. The only thing that could make a Tull show "suck" would be a bad venue or …sitting next to a loud drunken asshole. As for the Tull show at Foxwoods – neither was the case.
Foxwoods Theater is a nice place to see a show. The acoustical design of the room works well with a band like Tull. The flute could be heard over the drums and guitar and the vocals were clear. As for the show itself, there wasn’t a single letdown. From the opening song, "For A Thousand Mothers," to the last giant white balloon Ian Anderson threw into the audience the place rocked. The set list spanned from early works like "Dharma For One" which kicked to songs from the most recent Ian Anderson CD, "The Secret Language Of Birds". This was not an oldies show! For those older Tull fans who haven’t really followed the band in awhile. Jethro Tull is not just another band taking advantage of the Baby Boomer’s desire for nostalgia. They have continued to produce spectacular music under the direction of Ian Anderson whose brilliance, wit and humor adds that special twist to the band’s musical creations.
The band was tight and funny. Guitarist Martin Barre, keyboardist Andy Giddings and Drummer Doane Perry are always entertaining to watch. Their new bass player, Jonathan Noyce, needs to loosen up a little, but he can play well. Then there is Ian Anderson. I have never seen him run around the stage as much as he did for this show. He was all over the place. He was dancing around playing the flute and up on one foot while pointing the other with his signature medieval minstrel look. And, when he wasn’t doing that he was playing guitar and putting on one great show!